On wearing red, running and shaping the weekend

It’s one of those Fridays when a collection of little things have the potential to create an interesting weekend. Let’s begin with today’s wardrobe choice:

Get the red out

Today is the official “Wear Red Day” for the Go Red for Women campaign. An initiative by the American Heart Association, the idea is to, well, wear red on this appointed day to support research and education about heart disease in women. The campaigns which feature wearing certain items of clothing as a show of support for a cause strike me as a kind of kitschy bumper sticker (Honk if you like peace!) but the intention is what’s important. For decades, heart disease was seen as a man’s disease. Men died of heart attacks. Women did not. We know that’s not true, and anything which helps draw attention to women’s health is a plus in my book.

Running toward the weekend

If you heard a large cosmic yelp of joy yesterday, that would have been me. Frankly, I was concerned about my plantar fascia after my initial run test on Wednesday. The bottom of my foot felt tight. Was this bad? What did this mean? On Thursday, my physical therapist worked on the area and noted the scar tissue was gone and while the area felt tight, it was nothing to be concerned about. Back on the treadmill under his eye, the tightness was not nearly as pronounced as it had been the day before. Prescription? Stretching and heat treatment and a slow return to running.

Ambassador to Adventure

Two of my most cherished life experiences include traveling to Colorado and Italy for Women’s Quest retreats.Originally, I thought the camps would help kick-start my fitness routine. Instead, they introduced me to some amazing women, including former professional triathletes, and got me dreaming about what might be possible in my life. The camps helped me move beyond my comfort zone and learn that I could push myself without fear of breaking. This month, I am honored to be the first Women’s Quest Ambassador. Check out my story here.

And speaking of adventure

Today, Best Boyfriend Mark is taking me to a climbing gym in Rochester. While Mark has done a fair amount of rock and ice climbing, I have never climbed anything more complicated than a ladder. Stay tuned. This could be entertaining.